It's All About Us
by TornadoTori
Summary: Sakura Haruno has left the past untouched for seven years. Until her curious daughter asks, "Momma do you miss daddy?" Then the story of two lovers is unraveled through memories of hers and her friends.
1. So It Must Be Told

"The sky is crying today momma. Why?" A small cherry-haired girl asked sweetly, swishing her umbrella. Her mother stared at the droplets dance and then crash onto the concrete.

"The angels are just sad today." She responded with a small smile, patting her child on the head. The girl frowned at her mother's response and tugged on her mother's pencil skirt.

"Momma who made the angels sad?" The little girl was determined to find out the answer. Her mother sighed and looked down at her adorable daughter. She remembered when she was that young and innocent.

"I'm not sure honey. I'm not sure." The woman mumbled and her eyes dropped to the cracks in the sidewalk. The water ran like rivers in and out of the crumbling walkway and down into the deep gutter. She hated it when it rained. It reminded her of times that were too pleasant that they seemed just like a dream and of course the horrible times. She disliked all of the emotion that the rain stirred within her.

"_Sakura Haruno?" A deep voice asked over the phone. Sakura Haruno stuttered a inaudible "yes." "I hate to inform you…" She didn't hear anymore. Her life just ended with one phone call. Someone up there in heaven or down there in hell snapped their fingers and everything ended. Everything she was familiar with was gone. Never to come back. _

"Momma? Are you going to just stand there and leave us out in the rain?" Sakura Haruno shook away the dreadful memory and was startled by the look in her daughters black orbs. It reminded her of that person. The one she once loved. _'Sasuke…'_ His name echoed through her mind and a pang hit her heart. Pain shot through it and she leaned against the door post. Her daughter dug around in her mother's purse for the apartment keys and they were cold in her little hands. She stood on her tiptoes and unlocked the door. "Momma, come on get inside." Her daughter's soft pleading voice made Sakura realize she was still outside.

"I'm sorry darling; I'm just a little ill." She responded following her daughter inside. She shut the door slowly. Sakura slipped off her heels and made her way to the couch. She bypassed all of the pictures hanging on the tan walls and arranged on tall bookshelves. Sakura smiled seeing a picture of her daughter, her and her best friend, Ino Yamanaka. They shared the apartment with her Ino and her boyfriend, Shikamaru Nara. Even though Sakura was a nurse and could afford a place of her own, she didn't want her daughter to grow up without knowing what being in a family felt like. She remembered the day Ichigo was born and she had to pick her daughter's name by herself. He wasn't there to help pick it out, like she had always dreamed. Her daughter had beautiful cherry red hair and black eyes, and a mix of both of their personalities. Sakura smiled sadly not believing she was already seven.

Ino footsteps could be heard padding around upstairs and Sakura fell onto the couch, glad someone was home to cook. She was not in the mood to do so. Her daughter sat down on her favorite bean bag chair, and pulled something out of her backpack. Sakura squinted and grinned. It was a drawing with Ino's name scribbled on the back in crayon.

"Auntie Ino! Where are you? I have to show you something!" More footsteps were heard and Ino came running down the stairs.

"Yes little one?" She asked playfully, ruffling the cherry colored hair. Without fixing it, the little girl handed her auntie a hand-drawn picture.

"Oh wow! It's beautiful sweetie! Look Sakura, it's me and Shika-kun!" The blonde exclaimed, flipping the paper around in order for her friend to see it. Two stick figures, holding hands, did resemble the couple. Ino's platinum blonde hair, electric blue eyes and Shikamaru's pineapple shaped hair and his "this is troublesome" look on his face.

"Oh yes, it is very lovely." Sakura stated, smiling sweetly, trying to hide the melancholy mood. Ino could see the sadness in her eyes though. What were best friends for right?

"Is it raining Ichigo?" Ino asked her "niece". Ichigo nodded her head, cherry hair going even more awry. Sakura knew what Ino was getting at. They were going to have to tell the story sooner or later, and it seemed like a perfect time to do it. Sakura turned her head over her shoulder and stared out the window. Rain fell like her tears did back then; they went on for hours, possibly even days.

"Momma, are you missing daddy?" Ichigo asked softly, sounding as if she knew she had hit a raw nerve. Sakura sucked in her breath, tears threatening to spill over. Her daughter had seen many pictures of her father but unfortunately never got the chance to get to know him like Sakura did. Sakura turned towards Ichigo and Ino, who were squished on the bean bag chair together.

"Yes sweetie, I am. It's hard to believe that if I was sixteen I would have never even dreamt of saying that." Sakura cracked a smile and Ino laughed quietly.

"Guess what Ichigo? When your mommy and daddy met, they hated each other." Ino stood and sat next to Sakura on the couch, grasping the bubble-gum haired woman's hand and squeezing it. Ichigo's mouth formed an 'o' in disbelief.

"Really momma? That's so weird!" The little girl giggled and Sakura nodded in agreement.

"It was really weird. I didn't understand it myself. When we got together-" Sakura was interrupted by Ino's palm. Ino laughed like a silly child and said "we have to start from the beginning Sakura." Sakura retracted her best friend's hand from her mouth and bobbed her head.

"Ok fine," Sakura got situated to where she was looking into Ichigo's general direction. Ichigo sat up, stars in her eyes. The excitement is unbearable for a seven year old. "It was the summer before junior year," Sakura began, not believing she was reaching back so far into time, "and that was the summer I met the biggest jerk in the world named, Sasuke Uchiha."

Yay! New story! Should I keep going or just stop now? Give me some feedback please =] I actually really like this. I'm not sure where the idea came from. It just happened. I hope you enjoyed it~


	2. The Day We Met

"I was sixteen and it was the summer before junior year. My friend Naruto," Sakura started and her daughter's eyes lit up with excitement.

"Uncle Naruto is in this story? Cool!" The little girl giggled, making Ino and Sakura laugh.

"Yes he is. He's going to be popping up often actually." Ino stated and she rolled her eyes. "I can't believe he's twice as annoying as he was back then." Sakura snickered.

"Ok, back to the story," Sakura held her hands up and her daughter sat in her lap, grinning from ear to ear.

"So this was like ten years ago, so my memory may be a little fuzzy. Aunt Ino can help me." She smiled and Ino adjusted herself comfortably on the couch, excitement in her shocking ice blue eyes as well.

"Back in the day, Uncle Naruto was literally the craziest kid on our block. He threw all kinds of parties, because Uncle Naruto lived with his godfather, Jiriya, who really didn't give a crap about anything except for Naruto graduating high school. The kid practically had money flowing from every opening in his body. And he always bought me stuff; he had the biggest crush on me since we were five." Sakura laughed at the silliness at the memories. Her daughter stared at her, mouth open and wide eyes.

"Uncle Naruto liked you momma? EWWW! Gross!" She shouted, flailing her arms and sticking out her tongue in disgust. Ino burst out laughing and Sakura blushed.

"Well honey…he was cute back then." Sakura admitted and her daughter made a face.

"But you loved daddy right?" She asked and Sakura's throat caught a lump of depression. She swallowed it and smiled sadly.

"Of course honey. Anyway, do you want me to finish this?" She joked and her daughter shook her head vigorously.

"Uncle Naruto decided to throw a pool party for the start of our junior year. And that was the first time I laid eyes on the most gorgeous guy in the world."

"Look at the way her eyes light up when she talks about him sweetie, that's what love looks like just so you know." Ino smiled at Sakura and she smiled back.

"She's right but we're not to that point yet. To be honest he was hot but so rude and mean. I don't know how I even fell for such a guy. Oh wait…that's why I'm telling you this," She looked down at her daughter.

"I remember being very embarrassed about my new two piece bathing suit…"

About 11 years ago

"Hey Sakura-chan! You look amazing in that new bathing suit!" A loud mouth Naruto shouted in Sakura's ear. She flinched and turned around, gripping her pink towel wrapped around her tanned body. The alternative music wasn't even loud enough to drown Naruto out and it was unbelievably loud. She gritted her teeth, her ears buzzing. The two were standing near the speakers, grabbing a plate for snacks. She loved this song but she couldn't enjoy it because she was too worried about looking too revealing.

"Jeez Naruto. Why in the world do you always have to yell?" The pinkette shouted back, staring hard at Naruto. He grinned one of his goofy grins and she shook her head, not being able to get mad at him. She munched on a potato chip, watching all of her childhood friends playing volleyball in the pool. All of them were beautiful. Even the boys. Consciously she looked down at herself and puckered her lips in disappointment. She didn't have near the same amount of beauty as they did, and she hated it.

"You look great Sakura, now give me that," Naruto snatched her plate and towel and tossed them somewhere. Sakura was about to object, when Naruto swung her off of her feet and took off towards the pool.

"Naruto Uzumaki! Put me down now!" The girl shouted her face red from embarrassment.

"Are you sure?" he asked and she immediately regretted saying such a thing. She felt her body leave Naruto's muscular arms and saw the water getting closer. She held her breath and cold water hit her body. It felt nice, especially since it was almost a hundred degrees outside. She immersed herself in the coldness by staying under as long as her lungs would allow her. After her lungs screamed for air she emerged and wiped her eyes.

Looking around she squealed after Naruto came from underneath her and rose. She realized she was positioned carefully on his shoulders. Sakura just laughed and her other best friend shouted, "Look out forehead!" Ino shouted, blonde hair shimmering with water. The pinkette had time to whack the volleyball Neji Hyuuga "accidently" hit too hard. His smirk made her growl, she tugged on Naruto's hair and shouted, "Forward loyal steed! Neji needs to be dealt with immediately." The pinkette shouted and her friends all separated themselves from her, Naruto, and Neji. Naruto just laughed and trudged forwards in the water. Neji didn't move though and Sakura smiled mentally, with a little twinge of evil in her eyes. With her exratondairy balance she stood on the bolnde's shoulders and then looked down at Neji.

"You can either just stand still and let me throw that ball as hard as I can at you or I can jump on you from up here. Your choice girly-man." She grinned manically, knowing he hated that nickname and wanted to protect his face.

"Uh…" Neji thought carefully. TenTen, a small framed girl with muscular arms and chiseled, but feminine abs, shouted, "Just let her throw the ball. I'll still love you even if your face is permanently scarred by volleyball markings!" He glanced her way and Sakura hurled the ball full speed directly at Neji's face. Before he could turn quickly enough, the ball drilled into his face. Sakura raised her arms and shook her fists in victory.

"Victory is mine!" The girl shouted, making Naruto slightly wobbly from all of the sudden movement.

"Sakura get down before you get hurt." An adult voice shouted across the yard and Sakura climbed down slowly.

"But Jiriya-sensei, I wanted to see my lovely Sakura-chan do a youthful swan dive from Naruto's shoulders!" A bushy-eyebrow, wide eye, boy exclaimed while standing in his tiny green speedo on the diving board. Sakura shook her head at the silly boy and everyone else laughed.

"Anyway, before I was so rudely interrupted by Lee," Jiriya's long silver hair blew in the breeze as he walked closer to the pool, "you guys have a new neighbor." He side-stepped and a pale boy stood behind him, fully-clothed and apparently not happy about being there.

"That's Sasuke Uchiha," Shikamura Nara and Hinata Hyuuga stated in unison. Jiriya eyed the two for ruining his special made introduction of the young Uchiha.

"Yes you guys are correct. Say hi Sasuke," Jiriya grinned and Sasuke waved his hand swiftly before sticking it back in his pocket.

"I'm a friend of his father's, who happens to also be one of my bosses, so everyone be nice so I don't get fired." He grinned at his own joke but no one else did.

"Turn the music back on Jiriya, and come on Uchiha join in on the fun! We're the coolest people you'll ever meet!" Sakura shouted, her pink hair sticking to her face after she started jumping up and down.

"She's totally right you know." Chouji Akamichi, a round boy added, munching on a sucker. Another boy named Kiba Inuzuka and his dog, Akamura, doggie paddled around the semi-chubby boy, splashing him. His face dropped after his sucker slipped and fell into the bottom of the pool. Never mess up a fat kid and his food. They went at it for ten minutes, by splashing each other and everyone else in the pool. Everyone grabbed water guns or anything that could hold water and just started plowing each other with it.

The girls squealed trying to duck out of harm's way. Sakura climbed out of the pool and jogged over to Sasuke. He stared at her, nothing, not even a questioning look in his eyes. He was goregous and she was blushing extremely. She placed a water gun in his hands and he just looked at it.

"Never seen one before?" She asked playfully, but received a hard look instead. She frowned.

"Yes I have," he pulled the trigger and water got Sakura right in the stomach. She laughed trying to push water away from her with no good result. Her attempts soaked the kid's pants and he sighed. She snatched another gun and quickly filled it up. By the time she turned around the new kid had his shirt off, holding his gun right towards her. She grinned.

"You're annoying," was all he stated before grabbing her gun too, she was too stunned to react, and tackling her into the pool.

Present Time

"And that was the first string of rude words you're father ever said to me." Sakura frowned, remembering her first douche boy crush. Oh how silly she felt telling her cute little daughter this stupid love-hate relationship.


	3. You Never Left Me

Ichigo's eyes were wide with amazement and interest. Sakura smiled. It really was amazing to her how they came so far in life without him. Even though Ichigo didn't know Sasuke, a part of him is in her. The soft looked reserved for Sakura shined through their daughter's eyes.

"I guess you can say, it was a love-hate relationship from the moment Sasuke and your mother attacked each other. Beautiful neh?" Ino smirked and Sakura rolled her eyes.

"You make me sound bad when you put it like that Ino…" She replied but Ichigo shook her head vigorously.

"You're just tough momma." The little girl exclaimed and her mother grinned.

"Why thank you. Alright it's almost 6:30. I'll tell you a little more." Sakura tapped her daughter's nose when a pout appeared on her little face.

The afternoon went quickly and eventually everyone started going home. Naruto stood at his front door waving to the boys and hugging the girls. Ino punched him in the arm and grinned.

"Great party loser," she remarked, "and you weren't so bad either."

Before Naruto could reply the blonde jogged cheerfully down the paved driveway, laughing. Sakura waved to her best friend shouting that they would see each other later. She glanced back at Naruto, his blonde hair glittering from the sunset hitting the droplets of water. He of course was occupied speaking to Neji and Hinata. The purple-haired girl was as red as a tomato and Sakura shook her head, smiling. She hoped that the fool would notice the beautiful girl with the crush the size of the moon on him and not her. Once again she looked down at herself. Plain Jane. That's all. Somewhere perfection lies but it's not in her. Shaking her head of the negativity, her eyes were pulled to the scuffling of wet shoes. Slowly she looked up and Sasuke Uchiha was making his way towards the front door. A lump of something caught in her throat. He talked slowly to Shikamaru who was walking lazily beside him. There was perfection. Pale skin, dark eyes and black hair. Toned muscles and beautiful teeth. He was just perfect. Sasuke Uchiha was perfect. She swallowed and looked away, knowing she had been staring too long.

"Hey Uchiha! I hope you had a good 'welcome to the neighborhood' time."

Naruto's cerulean eyes lit up with excitement. Sakura knew that look. He gave her that look; the 'best friend' look. Her first reaction was jealousy but that simmered down when she remembered, Naruto had friends but she was his only best friend. Maybe he needed a bro to hang out with every once in a while and not a flat-chest tomboy who stares at the television screen too long while playing XBOX live with the boys of the neighborhood. She sighed heavily, really disliking everything about herself. She wanted to change, she read all the girlie magazines but nothing could really convince her not to be herself.

"Sakura Haruno." That angelic voice rang through her ears for years on after that but at the moment she felt her breath slip away for the first time. Slowly looking up she felt those dark eyes staring at her intently and her fingers twiddled with her bathing suit cover timidly.

"You aren't so annoying." He flicked her nose with a huge smirk on his face. He was aware what he could do to girls; make them melt to their knees and snatch their heart in a second. Sakura grinned and grabbed his finger swiftly. She twisted it slowly and her shy grin turned into a smirk as well.

"You aren't too bad yourself Sasuke Uchiha." She remarked, dropped his hand and made her way out the door. Walking down the drive took forever due to feeling the eyes of her best friend and the Uchiha on her. She laughed loudly, feeling her bathing suit cover get caught in the wind, twirling viciously around her. Sakura did what all girls do, no matter how tomboyish. She showed off while she walked away from the boy that made her knees tremble slightly and heart race.

Spinning in small circles down the sidewalk, she felt blissful. She craved his eyes. Sure enough when she turned to Naruto's door way, many feet from her, there he was still watching. Naruto had gone back inside, leaving Sasuke on the porch with a borrowed outfit and towel. Onyx and emerald clashed in a beautiful yet chaotic way. Sakura pushed herself along around the corner and out of Sasuke's sight. Breathing in deeply, she smiled. She was going to make Sasuke Uchiha fall in love with her. It was her goal and Sakura Haruno will not quit. That hot boy everyone in school will be talking about will only be focused on her and no other girl around.

"But first let me beat Halo 3." She stated out loud to her determined inner self and climbed the stairs to her home, laughing cheerfully.

Ichigo stared at her mother with eyes of bewilderment.

"You were ridiculous." Ino stated, standing up and heading to the kitchen to start dinner. Ichigo nodded in agreement.

"Whatever Auntie said. Mom you were weird." Her daughter stated and Sakura just giggled.

"No, I just didn't realize I was crazy in love with Sasuke Uchiha. It took me a while. But you'll hear that later." She remarked and pointed to the bathroom.

"Go wash your hands now, dinner will be done shortly." Ichigo pouted.

"Why aren't you cool anymore?" She scoffed and Ino sputtered laughter at the snide comment.

"March young lady!" Sakura emphasized as her daughter hopped off her lap. Ichigo stuck her tongue out and ran around the corner to escape Sakura's wiggling fingers, preparing to tickle.

"You are just too cute. Sasuke would be calling you annoying right now…" Ino mumbled to Sakura, as Sakura passed the salt and pepper down from the cabinet to awaiting hands. The women sighed in sadness.

"I wish I could hear his voice again Pig-chan." Sakura frowned, the nickname from childhood echoing thoughts of remembrance.

"I know Forehead, I wish you could too. But you have Ichigo, he's somewhere within her, just like you are. Be happy he left something for you to hold on to." Her best friend reminded her, wrapping secure arms around Sakura's shoulders.

"Ichigo may not have known her father but that's why you are here Sakura. To tell her exactly who she would've met when she was born." Ino smiled brightly and Sakura wiped her eyes of tears long shed.

"Yeah you're right. Sasuke would laugh at how silly I'm being right now." Sakura's words jumbled and she wiped continuously at her emerald eyes.

"He always told me I was annoying or silly, but I never changed despite how old I've gotten." She laughed, tears flowing steadily down her face while she was remembering his face buried in her chest the day before he left her.

"You're still the same girl I fell in love with long ago so don't change annoying Sakura. I'll be back soon. So don't worry, like you always do. " Ino quoted Sasuke's farewell for her friend and Sakura's jerking motions became limp. Ino took a step back from her friend and checked the green beans that were heating on the stove. The cool whispers of dead words comforted Sakura. She could feel the presence of Sasuke's arms around her, making the teardrops stop.

"You never left Sasuke…" She mumbled to herself as she pretended to care for the burning chicken in the skillet.


End file.
